Honest Joe
James Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Honest joe
Screws the lamb
Indian call
Indian plan
Weight of gold
You're a gay
Catch your life
Catch your life

Messerschmidt
You're a ghoul
Hurricane, hurricane
Novatol, novaciane
Dexadrin, dexadrin, opium

It's the way way you break down all your food
It's the way you comb your hair
It's the way you wear the tie so crooked
The way you have that smile that smells of despair

It's the way you like to satisfy
The way you set the smile
The way you crawled into my life and stayed there for a while
It's the way you like to lick your paws
The way you screw the bolts
The way you groom your friends and neighbours
The way you get a cause

Novacaine, makes us smile
Novacaine, no one can
I know where
It's a gun
It's a dream of a christian marytrdom

Move your way
Do your spin
Get a dish, get a dish and spin




Totempole, it's my goal
I don't care where you're gonna take it from

Overall Meaning

The lyrics in "Honest Joe," a song by James, are cryptic, enigmatic, and hard to interpret. The song appears to be about a man whose life is spiraling out of control due to substance abuse. The opening verse, "Honest Joe Screws the lamb, Indian call, Indian plan," seems to suggest a reference to Joe's carefree personality, where he indulges in recklessness and spontaneity. Joe's choices could be described as screwing the lamb or going against common sense, while he still manages to impress everyone with his Indian call, indicating his boldness and daring attitude.


The subsequent lyrics, "Weight of gold, You're a gay, Catch your life," are more abstract, but they might be referring to the struggles of life, the weight of responsibilities, and the difficulty of living an honest and complete life. The phrase "you're a gay" could be interpreted as an archaic use of the word, meaning happy or carefree, which is consistent with the theme that has been established thus far. The phrase "Catch your life" is a call to action for Joe, who needs to grasp his life firmly and turn it around.


The following verses of the song, "Dexadrin, dexadrin, opium, Novatol, novaciane, Hurricane, hurricane," may refer to the drugs or substances Joe is abusing as a way of coping with his life's problems. The chorus focuses on the way Joe lives his life - his eating habits, his hair, his facial expression, etc. It paints a picture of a man who no longer cares about himself or his well-being.


Line by Line Meaning

Honest joe
The person in question is named Honest Joe


Screws the lamb
Honest Joe is engaging in some sort of dishonest behavior


Indian call
There is some sort of Native American influence or imagery in the situation


Indian plan
This Native American influence is part of a larger plan or strategy


Weight of gold
There is likely some sort of financial motivation behind the actions of Honest Joe


You're a gay
This line is unclear and could have a variety of different interpretations


Catch your life
This line is unclear and could have a variety of different interpretations


Catch your life
This line is repeated, indicating that it is an important message or theme in the song


Messerschmidt
This is likely a reference to the German aircraft manufacturer, but its significance in this context is unclear


You're a ghoul
Honest Joe is being compared to a monster or other unsavory creature


Hurricane, hurricane
There is a sense of chaos or crisis in the situation described in the song


Novatol, novaciane
These are the names of drugs, possibly suggesting that Honest Joe is involved in some sort of substance abuse


Dexadrin, dexadrin, opium
These are also the names of drugs, further emphasizing the theme of substance abuse


It's the way way you break down all your food
The song is shifting focus to describe the physical characteristics and behaviors of Honest Joe


It's the way you comb your hair
The song is listing various details about Honest Joe's appearance or personal grooming habits


It's the way you wear the tie so crooked
This is another example of the song describing Honest Joe's appearance in detail


The way you have that smile that smells of despair
This suggests that there is a sadness or darkness behind Honest Joe's outward appearance


It's the way you like to satisfy
The song is once again turning its attention to the actions and motivations of Honest Joe


The way you set the smile
This is unclear, but likely relates to Honest Joe's ability to manipulate or deceive others


The way you crawled into my life and stayed there for a while
There is a personal connection between the artist and Honest Joe, and Honest Joe has had a significant impact on the artist's life


It's the way you like to lick your paws
This could be interpreted in a few different ways, but likely relates to some sort of animalistic or predatory behavior on the part of Honest Joe


The way you screw the bolts
This line is unclear and could have a variety of different interpretations


The way you groom your friends and neighbours
This suggests that Honest Joe is skilled at gaining the trust and friendship of those around him


The way you get a cause
This could be interpreted in a few different ways, but likely relates to Honest Joe's ability to rally people around a particular idea or mission


Novacaine, makes us smile
This drug is associated with feelings of pleasure or happiness


Novacaine, no one can
This could be interpreted in a few different ways, but likely relates to the idea that no one can resist the effects or allure of the drug


I know where
This line is unclear and could have a variety of different interpretations


It's a gun
This line suggests that there is a dangerous or violent element to the situation being described in the song


It's a dream of a christian marytrdom
This line suggests that there is a religious or ideological component to the situation being described in the song


Move your way
This line is unclear and could have a variety of different interpretations


Do your spin
This line is unclear and could have a variety of different interpretations


Get a dish, get a dish and spin
This line is unclear and could have a variety of different interpretations


Totempole, it's my goal
This line is unclear and could have a variety of different interpretations


I don't care where you're gonna take it from
The artist is indifferent to the means by which Honest Joe achieves his goals




Contributed by Anna B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found

More Versions